Turkey Claims UN Will Blame Israel for Flotilla Deaths

Turkey claims a United Nations panel will blame Israel for the deaths of nine terror activists who attacked IDF soldiers in 2010.

By Chana Ya'ar

First Publish: 7/24/2011, 6:44 PM

Muslim extremists aboard the Mavi Marmara

IDF Spokesperson's Office

Turkey claims a United Nations investigative panel is set to blame Israel for the deaths of nine terror activists who attacked IDF commandos on the Mavi Marmara flotilla vessel in May 2010.

According to a report published Sunday in the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, the Palmer Report on last year's incident will be released this week.

The newspaper claimed in its report that the panel, which conducted a probe on the clashes, has allegedly ruled that the Israeli commandos boarded with an intent to kill.

The article went on to claim that Israel is considering issuing a statement regretting the loss of life in the clashes and compensating the families of those who were killed.

Other reports have said the Palmer Report will support Israel's stance on the blockade of Gaza, and will simply determine the IDF commandos moved "too quickly."

Turkey has continued to demand that Israel issue a formal apology over the incident, which the government refuses to do.

According to the Hurriyet, the government is concerned that any apology would open the door for lawsuits to be filed against the commandos involved in the clashes.

The report stated that Israeli and Turkish officials are set to meet in New York on Tuesday to further discuss the matter.

Sources in Jerusalem denied knowledge of any such meeting scheduled to take place.

The terrorist-linked IHH-sponsored ship was part of a six-vessel attempt to illegally breach Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza.

The nine attackers died in a clash with IDF commandos who boarded to redirect the vessel to Ashdod port after repeated calls to change course were ignored.

This year's attempt to breach the blockade of Gaza by Freedom Flotilla II failed peacefully with only one out of ten vessels arriving in the area, due to a great extent to international assistance from supportive nations, including Greece. That ship was peacefully brought into Ashdod port by the Israel Navy.